Wizards Win Battle of NBA's Worst Teams

Last place in the NBA was on the line - literally - when three officials, huddled around a replay screen, ruled that the tiptoe of Francisco Garcia's right shoe had barely grazed the 3-point arc.

The call: a 2-pointer. The Sacramento Kings guard, despite hisearnest pleas to the contrary, had not tied the game with 3.8seconds left. The Washington Wizards still had a one-point lead,and they added one more at the free throw line with 2.7 secondsremaining to claim a 106-104 victory Sunday night.

"It's never happened to me before. Never," Garcia said. "Ialways make sure at the end of the game my feet are behind theline, but they were right there and they know what they were doingand it was the right call."

On a night when many were preoccupied with the NCAA tournament,the Wizards and Kings played a game that could be described as theNBA's version of the NIT - with all due apologies to the NIT.Washington won without making a field goal in the game's final 8minutes, nearly blowing an 11-point, fourth-quarter lead.

Sacramento dropped to 0-26 against the Eastern Conference,staying on course to become the first NBA team to go winlessagainst the other conference - in the same season that the Wizardsare closing in on becoming the first to go winless against its owndivision. Washington's 16-51 record remains only marginally betterthan the Kings' 14-52.

"We didn't do things right," said Wizards forward AntawnJamison, who scored 30 points. "But the most important thing isthat we got a win, and I'll take an ugly win over a pretty loss."

The matchup between lottery-bound teams was as much aboutpingpong balls as basketballs, except for buzz about the collegegame. There were empty seats aplenty at the Verizon Center at thestart of the not-very-anticipated duel, with tipoff taking placejust as the NCAA bracket was being announced. The seeds weredisplayed on the scoreboard in the second quarter, and former NorthCarolina star Jamison was asked about the Tar Heels' placing duringa halftime interview.

Of course, there was no way a game like this could have a tidyending. Garcia was sure he had made his 3-pointer, but official EliRoe immediately ruled otherwise, and the replay supported Roe'scall. Mike James then made the free throw that made the score106-104. With one last chance to win or tie, Kevin Martin missed afinal 3-point attempt from near the top of the key at the buzzer.

Andray Blatche added 16 points, and Darius Songaila 15 for theWizards. Washington played without Caron Butler, who has a tightleft hamstring and will have an MRI exam Monday.

Martin scored 24 points, and Spencer Hawes had 20 to lead theKings, who were missing Bobby Jackson (broken left cheekbone) butwelcomed back Beno Udrih (out six games with a sprained rightfoot).

Washington made 11 of its first 12 shots and set a season highfor points in a quarter with 37. The Wizards led by as many as 15in the second quarter, and everyone was cheering when Juan Dixonthrew a length-of-court pass to rookie center JaVale McGee, whosomehow managed to score a basket off the backboard while beinghugged and spun around by Rashad McCants in an obvious attempt tofoul. McGee made the free throw for a three-point play.

But a Wizards lead is never a safe one. An 11-point halftimeadvantage had evaporated by the time Jason Thompson made two freethrows with 1:43 to play in the third quarter, putting the Kingsahead 83-82.

That was the only Sacramento lead of the game. The Wizards wenton a 15-3 run before the game got messy in the fourth quarter.Hawes and Jamison were each whistled for a technical foul, andSacramento was even called for a rare lane violation on a freethrow.

Then came the suspenseful final minute that left the Kings stillat the bottom of the NBA pile.

"We definitely don't want to be labeled as the worst team,"Hawes said. "There is still a lot to play for. We still have a lotto prove."

Notes:

Jackson broke his cheekbone late in the 126-123 overtimeloss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night and did not travelwith the team. He will be re-evaluated Monday. Udrih came off thebench for the first time this season and had 10 points and sevenassists in 29 minutes. The starter at point guard was Garcia, whichgave the Kings their 21st different starting lineup of the season:Garcia, Martin, Hawes, Thompson and Andres Nocioni.

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